In the automotive industry, brake line tubing is manufactured and sold for installing and replacing brake line tubing in vehicles. For example, it is necessary to replace the brake line tubing of a vehicle, when the brake line tubing corrodes. Corrosion to brake line tubing may be caused, in part, by its exposure to elements such as water, salt, and other substances, which may be on the surface of roads.
Over a period of time, the exposure of the brake line tubing to elements, such as water and salt, may cause the brake line tubing to corrode. Recently, some manufacturers of brake line tubing have been coating the brake line tubing with a protective material, such as vinyl or plastic. By adding the protective coating, the brake line tubing is not as susceptible to corrosion, and the life-time of the brake line tubing is extended.
When repair of a braking system involves replacing a portion of the brake line tubing, a portion of the brake line tubing is removed and replaced by a new portion of brake line tubing. If the replacement brake line tubing has a protective coating, such as vinyl, a portion of the vinyl has to be stripped from the tubing to form a connection with the remaining components of the braking system.
The process of replacing brake line tubing, with the brake line tubing that has a protective coating material, involves: 1) removing the existing brake line tubing; 2) removing a portion of the protective coating from the replacement portion of brake line tubing; 3) sliding on a threaded flare nut/screw fitting; 4) flaring the brake line tubing by spreading or widening the tube, so the flared portion of the brake line tubing can be utilized to create the sealing surface with another component of the braking system, such as the master cylinder; and 5) screwing the flare nut with the corresponding flare nut/screw of another component of the braking system.
However, problems may occur in the sealing of the brake line tubing to another component of the braking system. For example, if the plastic coating is not adequately stripped from the brake tubing, it will be difficult to create a flare, on an end of the tubing, that is adequate in quality. In addition, if the brake line tubing is not adequately stripped, then the undesirable plastic coating, remaining on an end of the tubing which has been stripped for flaring, may destroy the quality of the sealing surface between the flare and the other component of the braking system. If the sealing surface is not tight, then the brake fluid, which travels through the tubing, may leak through the sealing surface.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a tool for adequately removing a portion of protective coating material from steel tubing. Further, it is desirable to provide a tool for removing a variety of lengths of a protective coating material from the steel tubing. In addition, it is desirable to remove an amount of protective coating material efficiently and precisely.